NSW Police Airwing
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NSW Police Airwing
The NSW Police Airwing as just had another pilot leave, thats now 2 in the last month.
I'm guessing the pilots are slowly having enough of stalled wage negotiations and in some cases getting paid less than the crewman.
I'm guessing the pilots are slowly having enough of stalled wage negotiations and in some cases getting paid less than the crewman.
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Heliringer - yep you are right , there are 3-4 crewies there that have their CPL (H) with a total of about 700hrs (H) between all 3, couple of hours ICUS with the full timers and she'll-be-right-mate (in the police management's eyes).
Yarpa - the only trouble they have with the outsiders is that the police management (who are all non-aviators) don't like being told by the pilots how things should been done in regard to aviation type matters and aviation safety.
Yarpa - the only trouble they have with the outsiders is that the police management (who are all non-aviators) don't like being told by the pilots how things should been done in regard to aviation type matters and aviation safety.
It has always been that way. The bosses run it as a police station that has helicopters, instead of a flying squadron that has coppers. Some horrendous decisions have been made by these non-aviators, in particular by one who was on his last posting before retirement. All he wanted to do was keep a low profile and do nothing that would attract attention. His motto was "If somebody has short hair and shiny shoes, it doesn't matter what is in the middle." BMG.
When I was there, of the 9 pilots on staff, 8 were ex-mil. Probably because they had the requisite crew experience, low flying, hooking, hoisting and rescue skills. But with less emphasis on rescue these days, they could lower their sights a bit. But I reckon they should be pilots first and cops second. There is plenty of cop experience in the other crew members, but only one pilot on board.
Learning to be a cop is easy, learning to be a pilot is a lot harder, and getting experience takes years.
When I was there, of the 9 pilots on staff, 8 were ex-mil. Probably because they had the requisite crew experience, low flying, hooking, hoisting and rescue skills. But with less emphasis on rescue these days, they could lower their sights a bit. But I reckon they should be pilots first and cops second. There is plenty of cop experience in the other crew members, but only one pilot on board.
Learning to be a cop is easy, learning to be a pilot is a lot harder, and getting experience takes years.
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Ascend Charlie, I couldn't agree more, their current commander, really has no idea, 20+ years as a cop and 3 years in aviation, he hasn't once asked any pilot there for aviation advice ,(I doubt whether he even knows their names),
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I hear most pilots are unhappy and are looking elsewhere due to the problems already mentioned. It's a typical bureaucratic regime 
some of the boys in blue look after each other a little too much.
some of the boys in blue look after each other a little too much.
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"It's a typical bureaucratic regime" correct!!, 
could be worse , we could all be flying rubber dog S**T out of Hong Kong,
All the best to Captain Underpants, I wonder how many more will follow!!
correct!!, could be worse , we could all be flying rubber dog S**T out of Hong Kong,All the best to Captain Underpants, I wonder how many more will follow!!
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As a now retired cop who spent the last twelve years of my service as an observer in a busy urban force this sounds terrifying. I flew countless times with many very experienced high hour pilots in sh-t weather but knew when to keep quiet when his workload was high. To put myself in such a position with an inexperienced cop driving!! I don't think so. The observers/pilots should think long and hard about this, or I fear it's only a matter of time before an accident happens.
